The Leading Parent Partnership award – what we are doing

At Joseph Clarke School we want to do everything we possibly can to help parents and families support their children. The Leading Parent Partnership Award is national award for outstanding parental engagement in schools. We've been working towards getting the award since September 2017. Here's what we've been doing.

What is the Leading Parent Partnership Award (LPPA)?

It is a nationally recognised award is achievable by schools who work very closely with the families of their pupils. Research has shown what where parents and carers work closely with schools, it has a very positive effect on the development of their child.

We already have many strengths in working alongside parents but during this process we hope to build on this even further – working for the award is valuable because it helps to focus the school’s work with parents and families. Moreover, the award assessment is made by an external advisor, so we get an independent expert looking at how we are working with parents and giving us pointers on what we could do better.

What does the LPPA consist of?

To be awarded the LPPA, there are 10 objectives a school must meet. The school must:

demonstrate a commitment to work towards the Leading Parent Partnership Award.

make and implement effective plans to achieve and maintain the Leading Parent Partnership Award.

be a welcoming and friendly place for parents.

promote an awareness of and participation in lifelong learning opportunities available in school and in the community to all groups of parents.

provide good support for transition for parents when their children leave the school.

evaluate performance against the Leading Parent Partnership Award.

What we have done so far

We've set a working group that meet every term to review progress and discuss ways help parents and carers become even more involved:

Raj Tailor (Parent)

Jackie Willes (Parent)

Ellen Pendley (Parent)

Sarah Bent (Family Support)

Isobel Cox (Headteacher Joseph Clarke School)

Caron Keeley (LPPA and Early Years Coordinator)

We've held events:

Activities so far have included:

Workshops on Speech Therapy, Mobility and Braille for parents.

Sponsored stroll to The Owl Pub which was great fun and not too energetic! (It would be lovely to see even more families next year).

Christmas Assembly.

Awards Ceremony.

Waltham Forest College Tea Party.

Spring Breakfast and Family Spring Hat project.

Looking at ways to improve transition for students within school each year.

Visit from HRH Princess Michael of Kent.

African Drumming Workshop.

What else needs to be done?

Lots!

We will be setting up a parent page on the school website relating to LPPA activities and experiences – you will get more information on this as it is developed.

We'll be adding displays within school.

Use of the website calendar to keep you up to date with future activities and parent sessions in good time.

We'll be improving transition between classes.

We'll use questionnaires to ask your views on different areas such as information you would like to help you support your child’s development or what information you would like about your child’s progress.

We'll be adding mobility landmarks around school.

We want your ideas and help

If you have ideas about how we could improve, or have any questions about the award, just let us know. Put LPPA in the title of the email. and send it to school@josephclarke.waltham.sch.uk

If you have a talent that could be utilised such as gardening or woodwork to help make wooden landmarks to aid mobility throughout the school please let us know via e-mail or note it in the Home/school book or diary.

If you have visited a park/ attraction and found it very worthwhile for your child please let us know so that we can make a list of excellent places to visit in the locality or near to where you live – both free and with admission charges.